Upon the road we talked of the uncertainty of profit with which authours and booksellers engage in the publication of literary works.  Johnson.  ‘My judgement I have found is no certain rule as to the sale of a book.’  Boswell.  ’Pray, Sir, have you been much plagued with authours sending you their works to revise?’ Johnson.  ’No, Sir; I have been thought a sour, surly fellow.’  Boswell.  ’Very lucky for you, Sir,—­in that respect.’  I must however observe, that notwithstanding what he now said, which he no doubt imagined at the time to be the fact, there was, perhaps, no man who more frequently yielded to the solicitations even of very obscure authours, to read their manuscripts, or more liberally assisted them with advice and correction.

He found himself very happy at ’Squire Dilly’s, where there is always abundance of excellent fare, and hearty welcome.

On Sunday, June 3, we all went to Southill church, which is very near to Mr. Dilly’s house.  It being the first Sunday of the month, the holy sacrament was administered, and I staid to partake of it.  When I came afterwards into Dr. Johnson’s room, he said, ’You did right to stay and receive the communion; I had not thought of it.’  This seemed to imply that he did not choose to approach the altar without a previous preparation, as to which good men entertain different opinions, some holding that it is irreverent to partake of that ordinance without considerable premeditation.

Although upon most occasions I never heard a more strenuous advocate for the advantages of wealth, than Dr. Johnson:  he this day, I know not from what caprice, took the other side.  ’I have not observed (said he,) that men of very large fortunes enjoy any thing extraordinary that makes happiness.  What has the Duke of Bedford?  What has the Duke of Devonshire?  The only great instance that I have ever known of the enjoyment of wealth was, that of Jamaica Dawkins, who, going to visit Palmyra, and hearing that the way was infested by robbers, hired a troop of Turkish horse to guard him.’

Dr. Gibbons, the Dissenting minister, being mentioned, he said, ’I took to Dr. Gibbons.’  And addressing himself to Mr. Charles Dilly, added, ’I shall be glad to see him.  Tell him, if he’ll call on me, and dawdle over a dish of tea in an afternoon, I shall take it kind.’

The Reverend Mr. Smith, Vicar of Southill, a very respectable man, with a very agreeable family, sent an invitation to us to drink tea.  I remarked Dr. Johnson’s very respectful politeness.  Though always fond of changing the scene, he said, ’We must have Mr. Dilly’s leave.  We cannot go from your house, Sir, without your permission.’  We all went, and were well satisfied with our visit.

When I observed that a housebreaker was in general very timorous; Johnson.  ’No wonder, Sir; he is afraid of being shot getting into a house, or hanged when he has got out of it.’